Chapter Six: Black Daggers
by Bynius
Summary: After the outing of Katara's and Zuko's secret affair, Team Avatar sets their sights on leaving the Fire Nation. But suddenly an old friend reappears and throws everything off-course.


**Avatar: The Last Airbender**

Water.

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

It has been six years since the end of the Great War. Since Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai.

The citizens are working hard to reconstruct their battered countries, and there has been great success so far. Fire Lord Zuko had reclaimed his nation's honor; Toph is now a great earthbending trainer; Sokka is chief of the Southern Water Tribe, with Suki at his side; Aang had started up a group called The United People's Society.

Great progress had been made in reuniting the Four Nations. Much is being done to maintain order and peace. But my friends and I know that where there is light, there is shadow.

No matter how far we've come, there is always more work to be done.

Chapter Six: Black Daggers

"I can't believe we're moving," Toph murmured, still mulling over all that had been said.

"Yeah," Aang said. "After six years, this place is almost home."

Katara sighed, and replied, "I know, but it's not my home. Zuko's no longer Fire Lord, our affair has been publicized…There's nothing left for us here."

"Does this mean we're refugees again?" Toph asked.

The Avatar chuckled as he responded, "Well, we're not really running from anyone but the Fire Nation—"

Toph's eyes widened in excitement. "Cool, we're refugees again!"

Katara gave a soft giggle. "I guess we are."

Suddenly the earthbender frowned. "South Pole, huh?" Toph said flatly.

"Yep," Aang responded.

Toph felt a shudder pass through her body, imagining the bitter cold weather she would have to endure.

"Is it too late to back out?" she asked, half joking.

"What's the matter?" Zuko teased. "Is bad-ass Toph afraid of a little snow?"

Toph reached up and flicked the side of his head with her fingers. "What about you, Hothead?" she shot back. "How are you gonna survive? You've never been to the South Pole. Your flame's gonna go _ka-put_ the moment you set foot in the snow."

Waves of embarrassment and shame radiated from the firebender as he replied, "Actually, I have been to the Southern Water Tribe. And the Northern."

Aang, Katara and Zuko suddenly fell silent and solemn. Toph burned with curiosity; she was tempted to ask what had happened in the Tribes, but judging by the negative emotions she felt coming from her friends, she thought better of it.

Suddenly a man's voice sliced through the silence.

"Shouldn't we go pack?" Aang said. "After Yin Lee's little outburst, I have a bad feeling there's about to be a riot."

Katara asked, "You don't really think the Fire Nation would go to such extremes like that, do you?"

"Uh, have you _met_ the Fire Nation?" the Avatar responded.

Through the ground, Toph felt Zuko shift his feet uneasily. He cleared his throat to draw attention to himself.

"Oh." Aang chuckled, sounding embarrassed. "Sorry, Zuko."

"Yeah, you're nothing like the Fire Nation," Toph said with a smirk. "You're not prone to explosive outbursts or overreacting or being over-dramatic or anything like that."

"Gee, thanks, Toph," came the firebender's monotone reply.

"Relax, Hothead." She nudged him. "I'm just joking. Sort of."

"Maybe we should go pack," Katara said suddenly, bringing the group back on topic. "Aang's got a point. After what happened....If we wait around any longer, it could get dangerous."

Toph sighed happily. "Ah, sounds just like old times. Us running away from the evil Fire Nation."

"They're not evil!" Zuko suddenly burst. "Just my dad and Azula."

"You're right." It was Katara who teased him this time. "They're not evil; just incredibly angry all the time."

Zuko stuttered, trying to retort. "But you—I—Augh! Let's just get out of here."

"Don't worry." The earthbender leaned in to mutter to the former Fire Lord. "Maybe a little good ol' snow will help douse that fire on your head."

"Shut up," the Hothead muttered back.

"Gee, it's like you guys are still kids," Neela was laughing as Toph and Zuko continued to bicker.

Toph turned to her. "Have you ever heard the phrase, 'boys never grow up'?"

"Uh, I don't think so."

"You'll hear Katara and me spout the phrase a few times within the next week. It really rings true for these two knuckleheads. You'll find out," Toph added with a wide grin.

Neela laughed again. "I'm sure I will."

Toph felt through the earth that they were approaching a large building.

"Well, this is my place," Katara announced as they came to the front door. Zuko cleared his throat, and she quickly corrected herself, "_Our_ place."

"Aang," Neela murmured, stepping close to the Avatar. "I have to go, but are we still on for tonight?"

Toph felt the Avatar's heartbeat quickening with excitement. "Yeah, of course."

Her stomach flipped as she heard Neela kiss Aang. She murmured something to the Avatar that Toph couldn't catch. Finally, the woman said her goodbyes to the group, and took off in the opposite direction. Toph couldn't help but feel mildly relieved at her departure.

"Well, she seems to have taken a shine to you," Katara said to Aang as she pressed open the door to her house.

He chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess," he muttered.

"Do you return the shine?" Zuko asked teasingly.

Toph leaned in, eager to hear Aang's answer. Instead the Avatar gave another embarrassed laugh, and didn't say anything.

Zuko cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Katara, I'm going to run down to the market and grab some stuff for our trip."

"Okay, Zuko." The waterbender gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to pack."

"Me too," came Aang's voice suddenly. "And I'll get Appa ready." With a bow to the others, the airbender walked off.

Zuko also left, and Katara entered her house.

Toph started to head towards her home when suddenly a shriek stopped her in her tracks. She froze, and heard another scream. It seemed very near...and Toph gasped. _Katara!_ She bolted back to the waterbender's house and kicked the door open. Through the ground, she saw that Katara was slumped on the ground, and another person stood a few feet away.

"Mai!" Toph bellowed as she recognized the other person. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

The Fire Lady's voice was thick with hostility. "I'm putting an end to the woman who ended me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Toph said. Then she remembered, and continued more calmly, "Look, I know Katara screwed up big-time." She heard a huff of annoyance come from the collapsed waterbender. "She did something she shouldn't have, but that doesn't call for you hurting her."

Toph could swear the woman was sneering as she replied, "Who said anything about _hurting_ her?"

Katara yelped as Mai shifted her position, and Toph knew she had to do something. She studied the ground and the woman's steps, deciding on exactly the right moment to strike. The woman twitched, and Toph launched herself into the air. As she descended, she slammed into the earth, and thrust her feet and fists outwards, sending rock bullets at Mai. The smile that had started creeping onto the earthbender's face at her future victory soon vanished, as Mai evaded the rocks with ease. Luckily, this failed attack had bought a few seconds of time, and Katara leapt to her feet. Then the waterbender stumbled, and Toph caught a whiff of something like blood.

"What did she do to you?" she muttered to Katara, but she hadn't been able to respond before Mai launched her next attack. Toph heard the whipping of the wind as daggers were cast at the two women. Katara clumsily tried to dodge the soaring daggers, but she yelped with pain as one of them made contact with her flesh. She stumbled to the ground, leaving Toph to defend them both alone.

"What's the matter?" came Mai's challenging voice. "Is the world's greatest earthbender all out of tricks?"

"Mai, why are you doing this?" Toph yelled back, furious at how exhausted her voice sounded. "So Katara made a mistake. Big deal. It's not like you're so perfect."

Mai surprised her by saying, "I was, until this dirty peasant destroyed it all by sleeping with my husband."

"You never even loved him anyway!"

Toph's heart lurched as she heard Katara's voice.

Mai's reply was filled with great hatred and something else. "What are you talking about? I've loved that man since we were young."

"No, you didn't!" Katara attempted to get to her feet, but failed. "You were only after Zuko for his money and title!"

"I loved him then and I love him now." Mai's words came out shakily, as if she was on the brink of tears.

"Then why are you doing this?" Toph heard herself ask. "Zuko ruined his life with you, but he's trying to make a new life with her. If you really loved him, you'd leave him alone."

Mai's steps shifted, sending a small jolt of panic through Toph.

"If I really loved him, I'd do anything to get him back." She moved towards the waterbender. "_Anything._"

Toph shifted back into her attack stance. "Lay a finger on Katara, and you'll have hell to pay," she threatened the Fire Lady.

No reply came; only a sneering chuckle. The woman suddenly gave a jolt of her arm, and in one swift defense motion, Toph pulled out a shield of earth over her and Katara, blocking Mai's classic dagger attack. As the last of the daggers lodged itself into the shield, Toph hurled the earth at Mai with all her might. She heard a muffled _oof!_ as the shield slammed the Fire Lady. Toph swiftly approached the woman, who was lying flat on her back under the earth shield. Thinking quickly, Toph pulled out mounds of earth and rock, wrapping it around Mai and imprisoning her. The Fire Lady was buried in the earth with only her head sticking out. Toph heard grunts and groans as the woman struggled to free herself, and couldn't help but grin.

"Let me go!" the woman demanded. "Now!"

Toph's grin widened as she replied, "Sorry, Mai, but that's what you get when you mess with me."

"You _are_ the greatest earthbender, Toph," Katara praised as she made a weak attempt to stand.

She turned her grin on the waterbender. "And don't you forget it, Princess," she said, using an old nickname she created when they first met. Then reality struck her, and she darted to the woman's side. "What did she do to you?" Toph asked as she twined her arm with Katara's and helped her to her feet.

"Nothing major." The woman groaned with pain, but added, "She just nicked my hip."

"'Nicked'?" Toph looked at her with sightless eyes. "Katara, you could barely stand. Sounds more like she cut a tendon or something."

Katara chuckled. "Since when did you become such a medical expert?"

"Meh, they put me through some brief medical training before I was certified to teach earthbending."

The waterbender's only reply was a grunt.

Toph brought her hand to the woman's hip, feeling for the site of injury. Katara drew a sharp breath as Toph's fingers met a sticky gash along her hip and thigh.

"Katara!" Toph gasped, withdrawing her blood-covered hand. "That's much more than a nick! That's pretty damn deep. We need to get you to a hospital."

"Toph, it's—"

"_Now."_

Toph bent, and took the older waterbender in her arms. "Ugh!" she groaned as she hoisted the woman. "How much do you weigh?" Toph didn't wait for an answer. "Never mind that. You have a child growing; you can't afford to lose any more blood."

"Since when do you care this much about others?"

Toph blushed, and could only reply with, "People change."

She lifted her feet, and pulled up a platform of earth. Concentrating on her earthbending, Toph launched the two women out of the house and towards the nearest hospital.

They charged through the drapes that hung in the entrance to the White Lotus Hospital, which was the closest medical institution.

"Oh my!" a woman gasped as the two entered the hospital. The woman was at their side in an instant. "Katara! What happened to you?"

Toph lowered the waterbender to her feet. "Wait, you two know each other?"

Katara gave a soft grunt as she felt her own weight. "Yeah. I come here and volunteer sometimes. This is Ling."

Through the earth, Toph felt the new woman give a quick, respectful bow.

"What happened?" Ling repeated to the waterbender in a panicked tone.

"Uh." Katara paused for a moment. "I sort of had a run-in with an old acquaintance."

Toph snorted upon the word 'acquaintance'.

"My," Ling gasped as she examined her friend. "That's quite a wound. Come on; we need to get it sterilized and treated."

Katara leaned on the woman for support, and they limped to the nearest available hospital room. Toph followed close behind.

Ling walked Katara into the room, and slowly released her onto the bed. She breezed out of the room to get supplies.

"Ugh." Toph leaned against the wall beside the door. "I hate hospitals. Full of too many sick people."

"Come on, Toph," she replied. "It's not that bad."

"Last time I was ever at a hospital was when my sister was dying."

She sensed Katara startle. "You have a sister?" she murmured.

"_Had_ a sister," the earthbender corrected. "Kai Lin. She died when I was five years old. Dragon fever." Toph shut her eyes and turned her head, struggling against the tears that threatened to flow. When she spoke next, her voice was trembling with suppressed hatred and sorrow. "Mom and Dad assume I was too young to remember her death. They think I was too young to even remember I ever had a sister. After Kai Lin died, they never mentioned her again." She sniffled, and wiped away the tear that was slipping down her face.

Katara was still and silent for many minutes. Finally, she murmured, "I'm sorry."

Toph shook her head. "Don't be. You had nothing to do with it." She took a breath, and then said, "It's just another reason I hate my parents."

"That's so horrible of them to keep something like that from you."

"Yeah, but..." The earthbender tried to shrug away the pangs of sadness that started to overwhelm her. "Whatever. It happened so long ago."

Katara asked, "How old was she?"

"I think she was eight," Toph responded with another shrug. "I don't remember exactly how old. I just remember her lying in her bed, breathing heavily and..." She heaved a quivering sigh. Her eyes stung with fresh tears, and she swallowed hard.

"Okay, I've brought the peroxide and the wraps," Ling announced as she reentered the hospital room. She made her way towards Katara, and sat on the bed.

Toph turned her attention to them, grateful to be distracted from her memories.

"How bad is it?" she couldn't help but ask.

Ling replied, "The wound is pretty deep and long. Mostly it'll just require cleaning it up." She paused for a few minutes. "It may require some stitches," she said finally.

"Stitches?!" Katara gave a small yelp.

Toph chuckled. "Aw, cheer up, Katara. At least you're alive, no thanks to Mai."

"Mai?" Ling suddenly stopped cleansing the wound. "Are you talking about the Fire Lady?"

"Uhh." Katara fidgeted uneasily. "Long story."

"She fooled around with the Fire Lord," Toph put in.

"Toph!" the waterbender hissed.

"Really?" Ling gasped.

She leaned forward and grinned at them. "And she got pregnant, too!"

"Toph!?" Katara squealed.

The earthbender shrugged innocently. "Hey, you're the one who messed up. It's your problem, not mine. I'm not going to lie for you."

"Gee, thanks, Toph," the waterbender replied flatly. "You're such a good friend."

"Hey, don't forget I saved your life today," she snapped. Then she said to Ling, "Long story short, the Fire Lady kind of lost it."

"Looks like more than 'lost it'," the woman observed. "You actually are lucky to be alive, Katara. By the looks of this gash, you dodged that dagger just in time. It could have gone for worse than your thigh."

Katara gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

Toph inhaled, and caught the scent of the peroxide Ling was applying. The peroxide smell suddenly mixed with other hospital scents, bringing back painful memories of her last hospital visit.

Toph's eyes grew moist once more, and she started to choke with the memories. "Uhm, Katara, I, uh—" She swallowed hard, struggling against tears once again. "I can't take it. I have to get out of here."

Katara's voice was soft with understanding. "Okay, Toph."

"When should I come back to pick you up?"

It was Ling who responded, "I'll be finished dressing the wound in a few minutes. However, I want one of our doctors to check on it, see if it needs stitches. We should be finished in about half an hour."

Toph could only nod her response. She waved to Katara and bolted out of the hospital.

She burst through the curtained entrance, and slammed right into a man.

"Toph!" Zuko's voice came, and hooked his arms through hers to help her back to her feet.

"Dude, where'd you come from?" Toph asked, momentarily dazed.

"We went back to Katara's," came Aang's reply. "She didn't answer the door, and one of the neighbors said she'd been taken to the hospital."

"What happened?" Zuko asked frantically.

"I'll tell you what happened." Toph drew herself together, and continued, "Your crazy-ass wife damn near killed her!"

"What?!" the two men cried in unison.

"Have you got corks in your ears? You heard me. Mai totally lost it."

Zuko stepped forward. "Where is she?" he demanded.

Toph jutted a thumb behind her. "She's back at Katara's. I stuck her in a mountain of earth."

"Way to go, Toph!" Aang said with a chuckle. Then he asked, "How's Katara? Is it bad?"

She shook her head. "Naw, it's just a gash up the side of her thigh to her hip from one of the wife's daggers." Then she heard what she'd just said, and added hastily, "It's not as bad as it sounds."

"I never realized Mai would be such a nutcase," Aang muttered. "Way to pick your women, Zuko."

Toph couldn't help but laugh aloud at the comment. She heard a huff of annoyance from Zuko, and nudged him playfully.

Zuko was unamused. "Well, if this playful banter is over, I'm going to check on Katara."

"Me too," Aang said, and started through the curtains. Toph grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back. "I don't think so, Twinkletoes. The nurse said she could only have one visitor at a time," she lied. "And, well, Zuko got dibs on the first visit." She patted his shoulder, and said, "Come on, Aang. Walk with me."

As they were walking to nowhere, Toph described the ambush.

"So sounds like Mai was already in her house?" Aang asked.

Toph nodded. "Scary, huh?"

"Yeah," he gave a short chuckle. "Sure is. Lucky you were right there."

Toph started to blush, and lowered her head. "Yeah, well."

"No, seriously." Aang suddenly stopped in his tracks. "If you weren't there with her, something could have actually happened to Katara." He put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Toph."

Her face was growing hot, and she attempted to shrug off his hand. "You're 'proud' of me? What are you, my father?" She grinned, and added, "But thanks, Aang."

They stood together in silence. His hand was still resting on her shoulder. Toph knew they were not alone; she could feel the vibrations of the pedestrians around them. But for the moments she stood with the Avatar, it felt like it was just her and him. The longer the silence lasted, the quicker her heart paced. Aang's hold warmed her shoulder, and she drew her hand to rest atop his.

Suddenly, her desires overwhelmed her. Toph's hands rose to cup his face. She stroked her thumb over his cheek, and gently pulled his head down. She stood on the tips of her toes to reach him, and she pressed her lips against his. Upon contact, she felt Aang jolt with surprise, and then he soon relaxed, and returned her kiss.

A couple of minutes passed, and suddenly Toph gasped. She pulled her face away from Aang, and rested her hands back at her sides.

"Um." She tried to give a nonchalant laugh, but failed miserably. "Uh, sorry about that."

Aang was silent. Then he murmured, "Don't be."

Toph felt the Avatar's hands wrap around her waist, and he bent his head to meet her lips again. The second kiss lasted for a couple of minutes. Then Aang whispered to her, "All this time I was looking for the right girl, but I was only finding the wrong ones."

Toph smirked. "You just weren't looking in the right place, Baldy."

His hand rose from her waist to stroke her hair. "I guess not."

She twined her fingers together at the back of his waist, and clung to him. She leaned her head against Aang's chest, and he in turn rested his chin on top of her head. Toph pressed against him, loving the warmth he brought, loving the sound of the steady, rhythmic beat of his heart.

Many minutes had passed, and Toph started to pull out of Aang's embrace.

"What's wrong?"

She smiled up at him. "Nothing's wrong. I think it's time to check on Katara."

"Oh, right." He also pulled back. After a few moments, he said, "Okay, let's go."

The two walked back to the White Lotus Hospital and reentered Katara's room. Toph sensed that she was lying down, and Zuko sat at the edge of the bed.

"How's it going?" Aang asked them.

"It's fine," Katara murmured. "Sure enough, I needed stitches."

Toph chuckled. "How'd you hold up there?"

"I'm still here, aren't I? Obviously I didn't freak and run off." Katara laughed softly, and groaned.

Toph said, "I think we ought to get going. Soon. If Mai didn't kill her, there may be someone else out there who's set on finishing the job."

"You got a point," Aang said.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding us." Zuko stood up and stretched. "We need to get back to Mai and do something."

"Like have her ass thrown in jail?" Toph asked hopefully.

"Aang, come on." The former Fire Lord ignored her. "We have to talk to authorities about Mai, let them handle it."

"Good idea," Aang said as the two men left the room.

"Okay, Katara." Toph approached the side of the hospital bed. "Let's go. You can crash at my place until we leave." She bent down and slipped her arm under Katara's shoulders, helping her sit up.

As the waterbender slowly got to her feet, she said, "Hang on. There's something I need to do before we leave."

Toph hooked her arm carefully around Katara's waist, and the waterbender leaned on her as the two limped out of the room and down the hall.

"Which room?" Toph asked as they continued towards the end of the hall.

"Um..." Katara paused, and they passed a few more rooms. "This one, on the left."

"Okey-doke." The earthbender came to a halt. Katara pressed the door open, and they entered the hospital room.

"Katara?" She turned to the woman. "Are you sure this is it?"

They hadn't been standing in the room for more than two seconds, and Toph couldn't sense any footsteps but their own. The room was totally empty.

"I—I don't understand." Katara's voice was breaking. "Huangji's been in this room for the past month."

"Hey." Toph took her arm from the woman's waist. "Stay here. I'm going to get Ling."

Toph darted down the hall to the nurse's station. "Ling?" she called over the counter.

"I'll be with you in a moment—" came Ling's reply, and then she paused. "Oh. Toph. What do you need?"

"We're looking for Huangji." Toph gestured down the hall where Katara stood in the deserted room.

"Oh," Ling murmured, making her way out of the nurse's station and towards Toph. "Oh, dear."

They descended the hall and arrived at the empty room.

"Ling!" Katara sounded like she was about to cry. "Where is he?"

"Oh, um...Katara—"

"Where is Huangji?" she repeated in a harsher tone.

"Katara, I'm sorry to say this, but..."

"What?!" The waterbender was growing impatient.

"Huangji's dead."

Toph felt the waterbender start to stumble to the ground, and she rushed to help the woman sit down on the bed. Toph sat beside her and started rubbing her back comfortingly.

When Katara spoke, her voice came out in a strained whisper. "Huangji's dead?" she echoed.

"Yes." Ling shifted on her feet uneasily. "He died last week. The little boy just couldn't fight the dragon fever."

The earthbender's heart lurched at the mention of dragon fever.

"Oh." Katara sniffled. Toph leaned forward and grabbed the box of tissues off the nightstand and handed it to the woman.

"I'm sorry, Katara."

"Did he have any family?" Toph couldn't help but ask.

"No." Ling sighed. "He was an orphan when we took him in. Huangji had told us that he ran away from home. He wasn't satisfied with his family life and so took to the streets."

"I know how that feels," Toph muttered to herself.

Ling continued, "And since he first was admitted, no one has ever visited him or claimed him as their own or anything."

"So sad," Toph murmured.

"You're the only one who ever visited him, Katara," the nurse said.

"I can't believe this," the waterbender whispered. "I can't believe he's gone."

Several minutes passed. Toph couldn't tell how much time had went by, but she knew they'd been sitting there for a while. Finally, she sighed, and nudged her friend.

"Katara," she murmured. "We should get going."

The woman stirred, and sniffled. "Yeah, I guess."

Toph hung her arm around Katara's shoulders. "Come on. You've had a long day; a little rest will do you good."

"You're probably right." Katara set aside the box of tissues she held, and hoisted herself to her feet. Toph was pressed at her side in an instant, and the two said their farewells to Ling and departed the hospital.

"Oh, gosh, Toph," Katara muttered as they were walking to the earthbender's home. "I've really done it this time."

She turned her blind gaze on her. "What are you talking about?"

"Toph, I..." She could sense Katara was about to cry again. "It's because of me that we're all moving. I just...absolutely messed up my life. I messed up Zuko's life. If I'd never had an affair with him, I—"

"Katara, I know you're pregnant and all, but this is way too weepy, even for you." Toph sighed. "Would you stop feeling so sorry for yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, listen to yourself!" Toph imitated the waterbender's recent words sarcastically. "'It's because of me you're all moving. If only I'd never slept with the Fire Lord, wah wah wah'."

Katara's voice was brisk as she said, "What's your point?"

"Princess, stop acting so pathetic!" Toph wanted to explode with aggravation. "You're not as miserable as you think you are. There are people who are _way_ worse off than you. You're pregnant, you're with the man you love, you're surrounded by friends who love you... Aren't you living the dream?"

Katara didn't reply for several minutes. Then she said, "You know, you're right." She laughed. "I can't believe I didn't see it before! I really am a very lucky woman."

"Let me ask you: Would an unlucky woman have friends who are ready to up and move at a moment's notice just so she wouldn't be alone?"

"Is that really the reason you're all following me to the South Pole?"

Toph shrugged. "I dunno. My reason is the reverse. If you move, surely Twinkletoes will follow you, and then I—" She suddenly stopped her words.

"You—what?" Katara prompted.

"And then I would be stuck here. Alone," Toph spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. "And you know how I hate being alone."

"Sure." The waterbender chuckled, and nudged Toph. "If you say so."

"What?" Toph looked at her. "What do you mean by that?"

Katara chuckled again. "Sure. If you say that you 'don't want to be alone' is your reason for traveling with us, then I'll believe you."

"Okay, you lost me."

"Come _on_, Toph! Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me with a straight face that Aang is not the reason you're traveling with us to the Southern Water Tribe?"

The earthbender couldn't resist grinning. "I'll try to." She attempted to remove her smile, but failed. "But I can't."

"Ah-ha!" Katara laughed. "I knew there was something between you and Aang."

"For your information, Princess, there _isn't_ anything between us." She added with a shy smile, "But I want something to be."

"You just have to be patient with him, Toph."

"Did I tell you we kissed earlier?"

Katara gasped. "You didn't!"

Toph nodded, grinning mischievously. "Indeed we did."

"Tell me _all _about it."

Toph chuckled, and nudged her friend. "Maybe some other time."

End of Chapter Six.


End file.
